Closure



July 8, 1941. F, Q ||A5E 2,248,065

` cLosuRE Filed March 12, 1958 mm-mmm V l l FIG.1

diczw INVENTOR BY JMWZM/ ATTORNEY FIG. 3

Patented July 8, 1941 CLOSUR-E Frank C. Chase, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to E. R. Squibb & Sons, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 12, 1938, Serial No. 195,500

(Cl. Z20-27) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to cap closures for sheet-metal containers, particularly such containers as are adapted to hold gases, and liquids p of high volatility and/or low surface tension, like ether, secure against escape.

Sheet-metal containers, such asI ether cans, are commonly sealed by closures comprising readily pierceable soft-metal caps. Such caps, however, when exposed (i.e. extending beyond the lip of the container spout) are readily damaged (as by denting) during storage or in transportation, and when unexposed are difficult to transx for efficient drop dispensing.

It is the object of this' invention to provide soft-metal-cap closures, the caps of which are at least partially exposed but resistant to damage during storage or in transportation, and are especially adapted for drop dispensing.

Essentially, the cap closure of this invention comprises an at least partially exposed, preferably convex (i. e., regularly -protuberant) softmetal cap sealed in or onto the spout of a container and having a reinforcing contour (e. g., ridges, furrows, or the like) drawn in its top, preferably so as to provide at least one pair of walls extending substantially perpendicularly from the cap and adapted to be transxed by means of a pin, surgeons needle, or other instrument, to enable drop dispensing.

The invention is independent of the means of attaching the caps to the container spouts. For example, the cap may be attached in the manner shown in U. S. Patent 2,004,964. The cap attachment means used in the hereinafter described embodiment of the invention is merely exemplicative.

In the drawing, illustrating a preferred form of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a container embodying the cap closure of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top view of the cap of Fig. 1, transfixed by a surgeons needle for drop dispensing; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

As shown in Fig. 1, a sheet-metal container I0, of conventional structure, is provided with a conical spout II. The cap closure (Fig. 3) comprises a soft-metal cap I2 provided with a depending annular lange I3 and a hard-metal internal supporting ring I4. The ring has an exterior circumferential dep-ression or dishing, and is provided with a fold I5 for reinforcement. Spout II is provided with an internal shoulder I6 near its margin, and terminates in reinforcing bead I1.

In sealing the container, the initially cylindrical cap flange and the internal ring are frictionally engaged, and the assembly placed Within the initially undeformed spout margin, resting on shoulder I6. Then the spout margin and the ring are mutually approximated by external pressure applied to the spout margin, thus forming the circumferential depression shown in Fig. 3. In this manner the cap flange is tightly confined between the ring and the spout margin, sealing the container.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the top of the cap has a flattened central portion 20 and a plurality of drawn ridges 2|, 22, 23 and 24 radiating therefrom. These ridges serve as a reinforcement-resisting damage to the exposed portion of the cap during storage and in transportation and also facilitate dropwise dispensing of the container contents, since the two substantially vertical walls of a ridge can be transxed horizontally by a surgeons needle 30 (Fig. 2) which functions as a dropper. Of course, the contents of the container may also be dispensed by excising the top of the soft-metal cap along the inner edge of the ring.

The cap may be variously otherwise contoured for reinforcement, e. g. it may have parallel, divaricating, or circular ridges, furrows, or other forms familiar to those skilled in the art, such shapes Ibeing obtained by drawing the metal with appropriate dies or by other methods familiar to those skilled in the art.

The invention may be variously otherwise embodied, Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with an ether can having a neck and an opening therein, a closure for said opening xedly secured on the inner periphery of the wall defining the opening, said closure comprising a soft-metal cap shaped to provide a frustoconical portion extending upwardly from the rim of said opening and the sides of said cap having at least two radially outwardly projecting opposed ridges with parallel vertical side walls, the said ridges functioning to reinforce the cap and provide readily puncturable Walls for dispensing the contents. i

2. In combination with an ether can having a neck and an opening therein, a closure for said opening i'lxedly secured on the inner periphery of the wall defining the opening, said closure comprising a soft-metal cap shaped to provide a frusto-conical portion extending upwardly from the rim of said opening, the cap having an outwardly-projecting ridge with 4substantially parallel, substantially vertical side Walls, said ridge functioning to reinforce the cap and provide readily puncturable walls for dispensing the contents.

F. C. CHASE. 

